System and method for uplink data scheduling for grant free transmission

Abstract

A method and system provide determining whether to pursue grant free transmission in accordance with a size of at least one packet in a first buffer of at least one buffer and determining a size of a grant free transport block (GFTB) in accordance with a configuration of radio resources available for grant free transmission in instances where grant free transmission is to be utilized. The method also includes populating the GFTB with first data from at least one of the buffers to produce a populated GFTB and transferring the GFTB from a media access control (MAC) layer to a physical layer (PHY).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method implemented by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
 determining to pursue grant free transmission on first data of a first buffer of a plurality of buffers and determining not to pursue grant free transmission on second data of a second buffer of the plurality of buffers; 
 determining a size of a grant free transport block (GFTB) based on a configuration of radio resources available for grant free transmission; 
 determining that a size of the first data of the first buffer is larger than the size of the GFTB; 
 determining to transmit using grant free transmission a first portion of the first data from the first buffer according to a priority of the first portion of the first data of the first buffer; 
 populating the GFTB with at least the first portion of the first data from the first buffer to produce a populated GFTB; 
 transferring the populated GFTB from a media access control (MAC) layer to a physical layer (PHY); and 
 performing grant based transmission on a second portion of the first data of the first buffer and on the second data of the second buffer. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a first plurality of sizes of packets of the first buffer; 
 summing the first plurality of sizes of the packets of the first buffer to produce the size of the first data; 
 determining a second plurality of sizes of packets of the second buffer; and 
 summing the second plurality of sizes of the packets of the second buffer to produce the size of the second data. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to pursue grant free transmission on the first data of the first buffer of the plurality of buffers and determining not to pursue grant free transmission on the second data of the second buffer comprises determining that a priority of the first data is higher than a priority of the second data. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing grant based transmission on the second data comprises:
 transmitting, by the UE to a network, a scheduling request; 
 receiving, by the UE from the network, a grant message, comprising parameters for a transport block (TB); 
 populating the TB with the second data to produce a populated TB; and 
 transmitting, by the UE, the populated TB. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising restoring the first portion of the first data to the first buffer, upon determining that the GFTB is not approved for grant free transmission. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the UE, configuration information for the GFTB, wherein the configuration information comprises the size of the GFTB and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for the GFTB. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising padding the GFTB. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the UE, the populated GFTB using grant free uplink, upon determining that the populated GFTB is approved for grant free transmission. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising copying the first buffer to produce a copied buffer, wherein populating the GFTB comprises populating the GFTB from the first data of the copied buffer. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising deleting the copied buffer upon detecting GFTB failure. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the first portion of the first data from the first buffer upon transmitting the GFTB. 
     
     
       12. A user equipment (UE) comprising:
 a memory storage comprising instructions; and 
 one or more processors in communication with the memory storage, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:
 determine to pursue grant free transmission on first data of a first buffer of a plurality of buffers and determine not to pursue grant free transmission on second data of a second buffer of the plurality of buffers; 
 determine a size of a grant free transport block (GFTB) based on a configuration of radio resources available for grant free transmission; 
 determining that a size of the first data of the first buffer is larger than the size of the GFTB; 
 determining to transmit using grant free transmission a first portion of the first data from the first buffer according to a priority of the first portion of the first data of the first buffer; 
 populate the GFTB with at least the first data from the first buffer to produce a populated GFTB; 
 transfer the populated GFTB from a media access control (MAC) layer to a physical layer (PHY); and 
 perform grant based transmission on a second portion of the first data of the first buffer and on the second data of the second buffer. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The UE of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:
 determine a first plurality of sizes of packets of the first buffer; 
 sum the first plurality of sizes of the packets of the first buffer to produce the size of the first data; 
 determine a second plurality of sizes of packets of the second buffer; and 
 sum the second plurality of sizes of the packets of the second buffer to produce the size of the second data. 
 
     
     
       14. The UE of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to determine that a priority of the first data is higher than a priority of the second data. 
     
     
       15. The UE of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:
 transmit, to a network, a scheduling request; 
 receive, from the network, a grant message, comprising parameters for a transport block (TB); 
 populate the TB with the second data, to produce a populated TB; and 
 transmit the populated TB. 
 
     
     
       16. The UE of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to restore the first portion of the first data to the first buffer upon determining that the GFTB is not approved for grant free transmission. 
     
     
       17. The UE of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to receive configuration information for the GFTB, wherein the configuration information comprises the size of the GFTB and a modulation and coding state (MCS) for the GFTB. 
     
     
       18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions that when executed by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
 determine to pursue grant free transmission on first data of a first buffer of a plurality of buffers and determine not to pursue grant free transmission on second data of a second buffer of the plurality of buffers; 
 determine a size of a grant free transport block (GFTB) based on a configuration of radio resources available for grant free transmission; 
 determine that a size of the first data of the first buffer is larger than the size of the GFTB; 
 determine to transmit using grant free transmission a first portion of the first data from the first buffer according to a priority of the first portion of the first data of the first buffer; 
 populate the GFTB with at least the first data from the first buffer to produce a populated GFTB; 
 transfer the populated GFTB from a media access control (MAC) layer to a physical layer (PHY); and 
 perform grant based transmission on a second portion of the first data of the first buffer and on the second data of the second buffer. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein execution of the computer instructions by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
 determine a first plurality of sizes of packets of the first buffer; 
 sum the first plurality of sizes of the packets of the first buffer to produce the size of the first data; 
 determine a second plurality of sizes of packets of the second buffer; and 
 sum the second plurality of sizes of the packets of the second buffer to produce the size of the second data. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein execution of the computer instructions by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
 transmit, to a network, a scheduling request; 
 receive, from the network, a grant message, comprising parameters for a transport block (TB); 
 populate the TB with the second data, to produce a populated TB; and 
 transmit the populated TB.